Literatures, Religions, and Arts of the Himalayan Region

FAIN: ES-50574-14

College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA 01610-2395)
Todd T. Lewis (Project Director: March 2014 to July 2016)

A four-week institute for twenty-five school teachers, examining the religions and cultures of Nepal, Kashmir, and Tibet.

The Institute will be centered on the Himalayan region (Nepal, Kashmir, Tibet) and focus on the religions and cultures there that have been especially important in Asian history. Basic Hinduism and Buddhism will be reviewed and explored as found in the region, as will shamanism, the impact of Christianity and Islam. Major cultural expressions in art history, music, and literature will be featured, especially those showing important connections between South Asian and Chinese civilizations. Emerging literatures from Tibet and Nepal will be covered by noted authors. This inter-disciplinary Institute will end with a survey of the modern ecological and political problems facing the peoples of the region. Institute workshops will survey K-12 classroom resources; all teachers will develop their own curriculum plans and learn web page design. These resources, along with scholar presentations, will be published on the web and made available for teachers worldwide.